In this chapter, Tom Robinson's testimony finally starts. Tom begins to speak; Mayella has often asked Tom to do chores for her when he passes the Ewell house. On the day that the Ewells told Tom had raped Mayella, she asked Tom to come inside the house and fix the door for her. Then she asked him to lift a box down from a dresser. When Tom climbed on the chair, Mayella grabbed his leg and made him jump off the chair, then hugged him and asked him to kiss her. Tom runs away when her father appeared at the window, calling Mayella a whore and threatening to kill her. According to Tom's white employer, Link Deas, that in eight years of work he has never had any trouble from Tom. Judge Taylor expels Deas from the courtroom for interrupting, and Mr.Gilmer begins to ask Tom about his feelings for helping Mayella with her chores until he finally declares that he felt sorry for her. In Maycomb, black people aren't supposed to feel sorry for the white. Mr.Gilmer accused Tom of lying about everything. Dill begins to cry about the rude treatment of Tom, and Scout takes him out of the courtroom. As they walk, they encountered Mr.Dolphus Raymond, the rich white man with the colored mistress and mulatto children.
Setting and Background
Alabama on the map of America
State of Alabama
Map of Maycomb County. Chapter 19 takes place in the Courthouse (7) which is in the town square
Maycomb Courthouse - Inside the Courtroom
Atticus defending Tom Robinson in Court (examination, Chapter 19)
Character Profile
Mayella Ewell
Beneath the disgusted, condescending looks, lies a lonely girl who can't associate with white people because of her social and economic status, and who can't befriend black people because she's not of the same race. Tom Robinson's version of what happened that night begins to make perfect sense, that Mayella would have been desperate for his company and attention because she had never had a friend or anyone who treated her with the same respect that he did. The crudeness and vulgarity of the Ewell family is also illustrated - Mayella thinks she is being made fun of when she is addressed to as "Miss" and when Tom gives his testimony we can infer that her own father sexually harasses her: "She says she never kissed a grown man before... she says what her papa do to her don't count." Not only does this make us more sympathetic for Mayella, it also makes the accusations against Tom seem false, and we begin to believe that it was Bob Ewell, in fact, who raped his own daughter.
Tom Robinson
Readers understand Atticus's reasons for defending Tom more and more. In this chapter, Tom proves to readers that he is polite and respectable and readers warm up to him. His testimony also seems more legitimate then Bob or Mayella's - which contradict each other.
Dill
At the end of the chapter, Dill runs out of the courtroom crying, feeling sick to his stomach because Mr. Gilmer's cross examination was so harsh, and so condescending and provoking towards Tom. Dill feels that Tom was just being kind and polite and Mr. Gilmer, in return, was rude, calling Tom "boy" at the end of every question, and sneering at him. Dill proves himself to be un-prejudice and believing in equality for everyone, no matter what they're race.
Mr. Dolphus Raymond
When Dill runs out of the courthouse crying, and venting his fury towards the cross-examination to Scout, Mr. Dolphus Raymond pipes in his understanding. From the beginning of the chapter, readers are told that Mr. Raymond prefers to associate with Negroes and as it comes to an end, we see this minor character become more important and someone to look out for in the following chapters as another un-prejudice character.
Picture Bank
Bible with Black Binding - He guided his arm to the Bible and his rubber-like left hand sought contact with the black binding (190)
Hatchet - ...she said she had a hatchet. She give me the hatchet... (191)
Chiffarobe - ...she asked me to come inside the fence and bust up a chiffarobe for her (191)
Gavel - Judge Taylor instinctively reacher for his gavel... (191)
Riverbank - ... she didn't own a riverbank and she wasn't from a fine old family... (192)
Gavel - His speech was miraculously unimpaired by his cigar. (195)
Vocabulary Bank
Word
Definition
Page #
express
(adj.) clear; explicit; not just implied
195
volition
(n.) the act of willing, choosing, or resolving; exercise of willing
195
subtlety
(n.) delicacy
197
unimpaired
(adj.) unhurt; undamaged
198
ex cathdra remarks
(adj./n.) remarks made with the authority that comes from one's official position
198
expunge
(vb.) remove completely
198
grimly
(adv.) sternly; without humor
200
candid
(adj.) open and honest
200
impudent
(adj.) disrespectful; bold; sassy
201
thin-hided
(adj.) thin-skinned; sensitive
202
chifferobe
(n.) a piece of furniture having both drawers and space for hangingclothes.
Plot Summary
In this chapter, Tom Robinson's testimony finally starts. Tom begins to speak; Mayella has often asked Tom to do chores for her when he passes the Ewell house. On the day that the Ewells told Tom had raped Mayella, she asked Tom to come inside the house and fix the door for her. Then she asked him to lift a box down from a dresser. When Tom climbed on the chair, Mayella grabbed his leg and made him jump off the chair, then hugged him and asked him to kiss her. Tom runs away when her father appeared at the window, calling Mayella a whore and threatening to kill her. According to Tom's white employer, Link Deas, that in eight years of work he has never had any trouble from Tom. Judge Taylor expels Deas from the courtroom for interrupting, and Mr.Gilmer begins to ask Tom about his feelings for helping Mayella with her chores until he finally declares that he felt sorry for her. In Maycomb, black people aren't supposed to feel sorry for the white. Mr.Gilmer accused Tom of lying about everything. Dill begins to cry about the rude treatment of Tom, and Scout takes him out of the courtroom. As they walk, they encountered Mr.Dolphus Raymond, the rich white man with the colored mistress and mulatto children.Setting and Background
Character Profile
Beneath the disgusted, condescending looks, lies a lonely girl who can't associate with white people because of her social and economic status, and who can't befriend black people because she's not of the same race. Tom Robinson's version of what happened that night begins to make perfect sense, that Mayella would have been desperate for his company and attention because she had never had a friend or anyone who treated her with the same respect that he did. The crudeness and vulgarity of the Ewell family is also illustrated - Mayella thinks she is being made fun of when she is addressed to as "Miss" and when Tom gives his testimony we can infer that her own father sexually harasses her: "She says she never kissed a grown man before... she says what her papa do to her don't count." Not only does this make us more sympathetic for Mayella, it also makes the accusations against Tom seem false, and we begin to believe that it was Bob Ewell, in fact, who raped his own daughter.
- Tom Robinson
Readers understand Atticus's reasons for defending Tom more and more. In this chapter, Tom proves to readers that he is polite and respectable and readers warm up to him. His testimony also seems more legitimate then Bob or Mayella's - which contradict each other.- Dill
At the end of the chapter, Dill runs out of the courtroom crying, feeling sick to his stomach because Mr. Gilmer's cross examination was so harsh, and so condescending and provoking towards Tom. Dill feels that Tom was just being kind and polite and Mr. Gilmer, in return, was rude, calling Tom "boy" at the end of every question, and sneering at him. Dill proves himself to be un-prejudice and believing in equality for everyone, no matter what they're race.- Mr. Dolphus Raymond
When Dill runs out of the courthouse crying, and venting his fury towards the cross-examination to Scout, Mr. Dolphus Raymond pipes in his understanding. From the beginning of the chapter, readers are told that Mr. Raymond prefers to associate with Negroes and as it comes to an end, we see this minor character become more important and someone to look out for in the following chapters as another un-prejudice character.Picture Bank
Vocabulary Bank
Go back to CHAPTER 18
Go on to CHAPTER 20
Return to main TKaM page